America.

tions to deposit it with the Lodge Etoile du Pacifique , which was done in due form at a stated meeting of that lodge . A similar action was taken by the Lodgo Fratornidad , located at Concepcion , also working under a charter from the Grand Orient of France ; and those two lodges , having withdrawn their allegiance from the power that created them , and not obtaining authority from any other legitimate Grand Body , ceased to exist , and no longer possessed any lawful Masonic authority .

Soon after these two lodges surrendered their authority to work , some of the brethren previously holding membership in Lodge U-. iion Fraternal , decided to organize a Grand Lodge , and for this purpose communicated with the brethren in a similar condition with Lodge Fraternidad that was located at Concepcion , and obtained their consent and co-operation . It then appears that these brethren professed to believe that they still had full authority , which they could use for consummating their

particular object , by virtue of the Masonic powers which they had voluntarily declared they would no longer retain , and thus claimed tho right to form a Grand Lodge ; the next important point was to obtain the co-operation of a third lodge , which they admitted was necessary . Seven brethren , formerly members of Lodge Union Fraternal , assembled without the necessary Masonic authority , and organized what they called the Lodge Progreso , and thus having what they claimed to be

three regular Symbolic Lodges ; they coustituted , on the 29 th day of April , 1862 , V . E ., the so-called Grand Lodge of Chile , working in the Ancient and Accepted Rite of the first three degrees in Masonry . They at once granted charters to Symbolic Lodges , and assumed all the rights of a governing body , and ¦ sen t a circular , announcing their existenoe to the Masonic bodies throughout the globe . The Master of Lodge Etoile du Pacifique issued a protest against this Grand Lod asserting

ge , that they were irregular and clandestine , to which a 3 'eply was made by those representing the interest of the Grand Body , and several argumentary documents followed , giving all the details , pro and eon . Such is a brief sketch of the history and conditions of affairs as I found them on my arrival at Valparaiso , 1 st of March , 1865 , at which time there were two lodges working legally—Etoile du Pacifique ; Lodge , before mentioned , and Bethesda Lodge , under authority

of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts . From the brethren of these lodges I obtained what was said to be the facts of tho cr . se relative to the contesting parties . All the published documents relative to the formation of the Grand Lodgo were given to me , also copies of correspondence not yet published , as well as many important facts bearing on the subject , were communicated verbally . I then had an interview with the parties claiming to hold the position of Grand Master and

Grand Secretary , informed thom of the object of my mission , and the earnest desire of this Council to cultivate fraternal relations with a legitimate Grand Body in Chile , and I asked the former if he could furnish me any additional facts or information to those already published with his authority and that of his Secretary . Ho replied that thoy had nothing additional to offer , but promisod to auswor in writing cortain questions I submitted to himbut which I havo not yet had tho

, pleasure of rocoiving . Having thus obtainod from tho propor sourco all tho ovidenco I could got bearing on tho subject at issuo , and aftor a most careful examination o £ tho samo , I was fully convinced that tho so-called Grand Lodgo of Cbilo had boon constituted in an irregular mannor , contrary to tho established laws govorning Masonry , and consoquontly thoy woro spurious and clandestine , and as such I declined to hold any Masonic intercourse with thom , or any of tho lodgns working

under thoir jurisdiction . At tho dato of my visit , this so-callod Grand Body had boon in oxistonco noarly throo yours , aud ¦ ¦ although they had takon tho usual course of bringing thoir - claims to tho notico of tho Grand Bodios at largo , only two up to that timo had givon thom recognition , boing tho Grand Lodgo of tho District of Colombia and tho Supromo Council of Luxemburg ; tho Grand Lodgo oi Massachusetts authorised oxcliango of Masonic courtesies until othorwiso directed . I thon believed , ¦ and convinced

am now , that thoso recognitions wero given principally in consoquonco of tho sympathy which was created for tho apparent loyalty to Masonic jirinciplos , in doc-lining to remain under tho authority of tho profano Magnan , and by thoso foreign bodios not knowing tho facts as to how the said Grand Body in Chilo had boon constituted ; and , aftor the lapso of noarly six years , it is rather remarkable that nono of tho Grand Masonic Bodies in South America have recognisod thom . On tho gve of my doparturo from Santiago ( March 31 st , 18 G 5 ) , nows

was rocoivod that tho Grand Lodgo of Chilo had boon rocoguisod by tho Supronio Council of Frauco , SS ' , of which M . Viennot was Sov . G . Connnaudor , which may lie truo ; but if so , it is a quostion whothor such a recognition has any Masonic forco , as about tho timo it is said to havo boon givon , that Supromo Council coasod to oxist , having closed its labours by roquost of Na ] ioloon III ., tho records of which Council I saw iu possossiou of a distinguished illustrious brothor , iu anothor jurisdiction , iu

May , 1 SGG . It is with foolings of sincoro rogrot that I am compelled to chroniclo this unfortunate condition of tho Ordor in Chilo , as it is universally admitted that thoro is no part of South Amorica whoro tho inhabitants aro moro onlightenod , intelligent , and inclinod to rocoivo tho mystic teachings , appreciate and porpotuato its principles . Tho priostly powor which has so long rotardod tho advauco of liberal idoas , is boing gradually broken ,

and a new era and bright progressive career is being oponod to tlio pooplo of Chilo . It is , tboroforo , important to tho interests of tho Fraternity that a legitimate Supromo Body , governed by tho puro principles of tho Ordor , should bo ostablishod iu that country . During my stay in London , a prominont citizon of Chilo rocoivod tho nocossary dogroos , and authority from tho Supromo Council of England , to constitute a Grand Lodgo or Supromo Counciland I am inducod to hopo that this will soon

, bo accomplished , and Chilo thon admitted to tho Masonic family throughout tho world ; but should this not bo roalisod , aud in viow of tho importance of tho subjoct , I suggest that tho quostion relative to tho recognition of tho Grand Lodgo of Chilo bo referred to a special committeo , with directions to report at tho noxt annual moetinn- of this council : all tho documonts and transactions

relative to tho samo aro horowith submitted for thoir investigation . Tho following aro the lodgos now working in Chilo : —• Etoilo du Pacifiquo Lodgo , Valparaiso , works in Fronch under authority of tho Grand Oriont of Franco—legitimate . Bothosda Lodgo , Valparaiso , works in English undor tho Grand Lodgo of Massachusetts , York Rito—legitimate . Hiram Lodjjo , Copiapo , works in English undor similar

authority , and in York Rito , with permission to work in Spanishlogitimato . King Cyrus Royal Arch Chapter ( No . 1 ) , Valparaiso , undor tho Grand Chapter of tho United States—logitimato . Grand Lodgo of Chilo , Valparaiso , Ancient and Accoptod Kite , spurious , with tho following symbolic lodgos undor thoir jurisdiction—Union , Fraternal , and Progreso , Valparaiso ; Justicia y Libortad , Santiago ; Ordon y Libortad , Copiapo ; Fratornidad ,

Concopcion—all work in Spanish , and aro irregular . Thoro was a chapter of Roso Croix and Council of Princes at Valparaiso , working under tho Grand Oriont of Franco ; but tbo promises in which they mot wero burnt in 1861 , and all the regalia dostroyed . Sinco thon thoy havo not assomblod for work , although tho warrants aro still rotaiuod . I ombraco this opportunity of returning my sincoro thanks to tho members of tho Bothosda Lodgoand to assure thom of my

, duo appreciation of tho social Masonic courtosios thoy oxtonded to mo during my sojourn at Valparaiso . Long may thoy continuo to porpotuato tho principles of tho Fraternity in that distant land . A journoy of 1 , 200 miles , ovor tho snow-clad poaks of tho Andes and tho vast plains of tho Pampas , brought mo to tho city of Buonos Ayros , capital of tho

AUGENTIXE REPUBLIC . Thoro is no authentic account oi tho first introduction of Masonry into this country which has sufforod greatly from tho sad results of civil discord and revolutionary strifo , for tho past thirty years . Lodges aro kuown to havo boon in oxistenco about 1846 , but in consoquonco of tho unsottlod stato of society , when anarchy so often roignod supromo , thoir labours woro either suspoudodor thoy remained in passivo oxistenco ; and it was

, not till 1853 that tho Ordor commoncod its pormanont careor in tho Rio do la Plata . On tho 10 th of January , 1854 , Excolsior Lodgo / vas ostablishod at Buonos Ayros undor warrant of tho Grand Lodgo of England , working in York Rito and English language . Two othor lodgos woro afterwards ostablishod at tho samo placo and undor tho samo authority—Star of tho South , woz-king in English , and Toutonia , working in tho Gorman languago ; all thoso lodgos aro woll supported and aro vory prosporous , having

among thoir momhors many of tho loading English and Ainorican merchants of Buonos Ayros . In 1850 thoro was an irregular Masonic body in oxistenco , working in the Anciont and Accepted Rite , and claiming powors